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Grasses

Grasses

Blog Posts

flower of bulbous bluegrass held in a hand
Read article: Watch out for Bulbous Bluegrass, a weedy grass
Watch out for Bulbous Bluegrass, a weedy grass
While hiking through an open woodland, I saw a grass that looked different from any other I’ve seen before. I bent down and snapped some pictures,...
clump of grass with dried curled leaves
Read article: Identifying Poverty Oat Grass
Identifying Poverty Oat Grass
I love when plant identification is easy, when there’s one distinctive characteristic that makes a plant stand out from others around it, leaving no...
Grasses
Read article: Incorporate ornamental grasses in the landscape for natural movement and sound in the garden
Incorporate ornamental grasses in the landscape for natural movement and sound in the garden
As the gardening season approaches, many gardeners are starting to think about potential changes to their landscaping or flower beds to make them...
clumps of prairie dropseed in bloom next to a walkway
Read article: Add Prairie Dropseed to your home garden
Add Prairie Dropseed to your home garden
Last fall I visited the Missouri Botanic Garden with my family, and I was pleasantly surprised to see that they added a fair amount of grasses to the...

News Releases

Erin Garret standing next to little bluestem in a garden
Grasses at a Glance blog earns award from national Extension organization
URBANA, Ill. — Grasses are a small and often subtle backbone of many ecosystems, making up nearly 30% of the planet’s land cover. They prevent soil erosion, regulate water flow, and provide food and habitat for wildlife and livestock. But ask someone to identify one grass from another, and you...

Videos

How to Identify Nuisance Grass

There are many nuisance grass species. While we may not want to see these grasses out in the field, it’s important to know how to tell them apart from more desirable species.

Tricky Pollinator Questions and Answers

Are my annual plants “junk food” for bees? Can I help pollinators by not mowing my lawn? How can I help pollinators thrive if I don’t have a garden? This presentation explorespollinator questions that have nuanced, uncertain, or controversial answers. 

Staff

Staff photo Shiba Kar

Shiba 'Shibu' Kar

Assistant Dean: Natural Resources, Environment, and Energy Program Leader. Associate Director of Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant